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Article: New Process for the Production of Branched-Chain Fatty Acids
- Article from:
- Journal of Surfactants and Detergents
- Article date:
- July 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright AOCS Press Jul 2004. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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ABSTRACT:
Fatty acids are the primary natural starting materials for the production of surfactant and detergent molecules. Derived from vegetable (oil) and animal (fat) triglyceride sources, the fatty acids are linear aliphatic carboxylic acids. Industrial interest in branched-chain fatty acids is driven by the needs for products with enhanced performance benefits including higher solubility, ease of handling, better hard water tolerance, and improved oxidative stability. Therefore, catalytic processes have been developed for the conversion of linear fatty acids to branched ones. High yields of branched acids are obtained from unsaturated fatty acids over acidic zeolites, particularly those ...